<
>

2018 Kansas City Chiefs starters, 53-man roster, schedule prediction

Dee Ford had a nine-game stretch during the 2016 season in which he recorded 10 sacks. John Sleezer/Zuma Press/Icon Sportswire

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Kansas City Chiefs cut their roster to 53 Saturday. Here's a look at the depth chart:

QUARTERBACK (2): Patrick Mahomes, Chad Henne

The Chiefs are going with two for now at least after releasing veteran Matt McGloin after the initial cutdown to 53 players. McGloin could be back at some point.

RUNNING BACK (5): Kareem Hunt, Anthony Sherman, Spencer Ware, Damien Williams, Darrel Williams

Darrell Williams is an undrafted rookie who showed enough at training camp to force his way onto the roster. He doesn’t figure to play much playing behind veterans in Hunt, Ware and Damien Williams.

WIDE RECEIVER (6): Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins, Chris Conley, Demarcus Robinson, De'Anthony Thomas, Marcus Kemp

Hill, Watkins, Conley and Robinson will get most of the playing time.

TIGHT END (2): Travis Kelce, Alex Ellis

Demetrius Harris, the second-string tight end, will serve an NFL suspension for the opener and won't be able to return until Week 2.

OFFENSIVE LINE (10): Eric Fisher, Mitchell Schwartz, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, Cam Erving, Mitch Morse, Andrew Wylie, Austin Reiter, Jordan Devey, Kahlil McKenzie, Ike Boettger

The Chiefs like their depth here because they’re keeping a lot of lineman, including Boettger, who was claimed off waivers from the Bills. McKenzie and Boettger are developmental prospects who won’t play much if at all.

DEFENSIVE LINE (6): Chris Jones, Xavier Williams, Allen Bailey, Derrick Nnadi, Jarvis Jenkins, Justin Hamilton

Nnadi, the Chiefs’ third-round draft pick, earned playing time with an impressive preseason.

LINEBACKER (9): Justin Houston, Dee Ford, Anthony Hitchens, Reggie Ragland, Tanoh Kpassagnon, Breeland Speaks, Dorian O'Daniel, Ben Niemann, Terrance Smith

Speaks, O’Daniel and Niemann are rookies. The Chiefs are looking from a bounce-back season from Ford, who had 10 sacks in the first nine games in 2016 but only two since.

CORNERBACK (5): Kendall Fuller, Steven Nelson, Orlando Scandrick, Tremon Smith, Charvarius Ward

The Chiefs cut David Amerson, who entered training camp as their third corner but was awful during the preseason.

SAFETY (5): Eric Berry, Eric Murray, Jordan Lucas, Armani Watts, Ron Parker

The Chiefs obviously weren’t comfortable with what they had here because Lucas and Parker arrived only in the last week. Parker, though, started for the Chiefs for the past five seasons before being released last winter so he could wind up playing a lot.

SPECIALIST (3): Harrison Butker (K), Dustin Colquitt (P), James Winchester (LS)

The Chiefs had no competition for their kicker, punter or long snapper in camp.